Sump-hopper.



W. COAN.

SUM? HOPPER. APPLICATIDN FILED 056.17. 19h).

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SMEET 2.

W. COAN.

SUMP HOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17| |915.

W. COAN.

SUMP HOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED nec. I1. 1915.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Z I/ m //\\\\\V/////% WILLIAM COAN, OF VINCENNES,INDIANA.

SUMP-HOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Ost. 24, 1916;

Application led December 17, 1915. Serial No. 67,393.

p same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to sump hoppers forcoal mine shafts, and has forits object to provide an arrangement for salvaging the coal from thesump in a simple, cheap and effectual manner.

With` this object in view, the invention consists in the novelconstruction of the sump hopper, in the novel construction andarrangement of the shifting rails and in the general arrangement andcombination of the parts, all of which will be'first fully described andafterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

.Referring to the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 isa verticallongitudinal sectional View through a pair vof mine shafts illustratinga sump hopper in each and a mine car in position to receive coal fromone of the sump hoppers. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional viewthrough the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectional view through theshafts looking down into the sumps.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View through one of the shaftsand its sump illustrating the shifting rails out of their normalposition. Fig. 5 `is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through onevof the shafts and its sump illustrating the shifting rails out of theirnormal position. vn

Like Vnumerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout theseveral gures in which: y

1 and 2 indicate two mine shafts having the usual standards or framepieces 3.

4 indicates the vertical guides between which the elevators or ycars 5,,and sump hoppers slide, said elevatorsor cars k5 and sump hoppers 6being provided with slides 7 and 8 as shown in- Figs. 1v and 2. l v

9 and 10 indicates the sumps of theshafts which Vare really pockets atAthe bottom .of the shafts below the mine' carl'tracks andare providedfor the purpose of catching coal which is jolted andY falls from thecars.-

Each of the sumps 9 and 10 is provided with a sump hopper 6 which assho-wn on the right of Fig. 1 is normally disposed within yeach sump'soas to receive the coal falling from the shafts 1 and 2, said sumphoppers 6 being provided with suitable chains 11 for ready connectionwith the shaft elevators or cars as also illustrated in Fig. 1.

' The sump hopper 6 being of sufficient' size tocatch all" of the coalfalling through the shaft, it is essential that the mine car tracks beremoved in order to allow the sump hopper to be raised in the shaft,and` this is accomplishe'd in the following manner: The stationary minecar rails 12 terminate at the shafts 1 and 2 as will be seen from theaccompanying drawings. Hingedly mounted at 13 at each side of the sumpsand at a point below the plane of the stationary rails V11 are shiftingrails 14 and 15, which-by reason of the crank shafts 16',operatinglevers 17 and links 1S can be shifted out of their normalposition shown in Fig. 2 into their retracted position shown in Fig. 4.When the shifting rails 14 and 15 are shifted into position shown inFigs. 1 and 2, theyrare brought into'alinement with the stationary railsv12. When however the shifting rail 14 is moved into this position, 'aspace occurs between .the contiguous ends 19 and 20 of the rails 14 and15 as shown in Fig. 5, said space or opening being caused by thevertical guide 4, which as is shown in drawing eXn tendswithin the shaftand sump. In order to close up this space or opening between thecontiguous ends of the shifting rails when the same are moved intoalinementwith the stationary rails 12,' the shifting'rail 14 is mountedon links 21 positioned and arranged asV shown, so that said rail14 iscapable of beingshifted longitudinally of the shaft as each of theshafts 1 and 2 are providedfwith longitudinallyl shifting rails 14 whichwhen shiftedv move ytoward eachother. longitudinal)movement of Y.the.rails v14 createsal space or opening betweenthe' ends Thisl f'saidrails 14 andv the contiguous'edsof 'l lio cars are run on the rails intothe shafts to bey loaded on to the elevator on car 5. This continuousoperation causes a considerable quantity of the coal to fall into thesump hoppers 6. Wrhen said hoppers are full of i coal and it becomesnecessary to raise the same, the pivoted rail sections 22 are swung outof alinement with the shifting and thev stationary-rails, and each ofthe longitudinally shifting rails 14 is shifted into position shown inFig. 5 thusallowing them to clear the vertical guides 4 when theshifting rails 14 and l5 are shifted into position shown in Fig. 4 whichis accomplished by throwing theoperating levers 17 from posil tion shownin Fig. 2 into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. `The shiftingrails being in retracted position shown in Fig. 4, are` out of the wayof the sump hopper 6, which is then connected to the elevator or cage 5by means of the chains ll, and the sump hopper 6 is raised into positionshown on the left of Fig. 1. The shifting rails 14 and l5 and thepivoted rail sections 22 are then brought into their normal position byreversing the operation just described and a car is run onto theshifting rails into position shown on the left of Fig. l. The coal fromthe sump hopper 6 is then dumped into the car in a manner which will benow y described.

. in Fig. 2 to` dump the coal into the car directly thereunder, theyokes 32 acting as Y f stops to limit the swing of the bottom sectionsina `manner which will be clearly understood.` When the car has receivedthe coal from the sump hopper, it is run out of the shaft or intothenext shaft yto be loaded on the elevator orcar 5, while the shiftingtracksin the'shaft vunder the dumped sump tion to allow the sum-p hopperto Vagain enter the sump,` after which the shifting tracks are againmoved into their normal operative position to receive the mine cars forloading on to the elevator or cage, which operation continues until thesump hopper again becomes filled with coal falling from the mine cars.

Having thus described the invention, it is evident that the same issusceptible to changes and alterations in the construction andarrangement of the parts and I consider myself clearly entitled to allsuch changes and modifications as fall within the limit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim- 1. A device of the character ldescribed including a mine shaftelevator car operable in a mine shaft, a sump hopper within the sump ofa mine shaft and means for connection between said sump hopper and saidelevator car. i

2. A device of the character described in cluding a mine shaft elevatorcar operable in a mine shaft, a sump hopper within the sump of a mineshaft, means for connection between said sump hopper and said elevatorcar and removable rail sections in said mine shaft above the sump.

' 3. A device of the character described including a mine car operablein a mine shaft, a sump hopper operable in the sump of the mine shaftand capable of connection with the elevator car, said sump hopperincluding means for dumping its contents. y

.4. A device of the character described including` a mine shaft elevatorcar operable `in a mine shaft, a sump hopper operable in thesump of themine shaft, and capable of connection with the elevator car, said sumphopper including means for dumping its contents, yand removable railsections above the sump.

5. The combination with an elevator car,

operable in a mine shaft, and a mine car entering the mine shaft of asump hopper removably arranged in the sump of the mine shaft, and meansof connection between said elevator car .and said sump hopper.

6. The combination with an elevator car operablein a mine shaft and a.mine car entering the mine shaft of a sump hopper in the sump of themine shaft and removable therefrom with said elevator car, and removabletrack Sections for said mine car in said mine shaft above the sump.

7. The combination with an elevator car operable in a mine shaft and amine car entering the mine shaft of a sump hopper in the sump of themine shaft and removable therefrom with lthe elevator car, said sumphopper including means for dumping its contents into said mine car.

8.7The combination with an elevator-'car Operable inea shaft and amineentering the mine shaft of a sump hopper in the sump of the mine shaftand removable therefrom With the elevator car, said sump hopperincluding means for dumping its contents into said mine car andremovable rail sections for said mine car in said mine shaft above thesump.

9. A sump hopper for mine shafts including means for connection withamine shaft elevator car and including means for dumping its contentsinto a mine car in combination with removable track sections for themine car disposed normally above the sump hopper. l

10. The combination with a sump hopper in a mine shaft and a mine carfor'receiving the contents of the sump hopper of laterally movable tracksections for the mine car above the sump hopper.

l1. The combination With a sump hopper in a mine shaft and a mine carfor receivingr the contents of the sump hopper of longitudinally movabletrack sections for the lfor the mine car above the sump hopper.

13. The combination with a sump hopper in a mine shaft and a mine carfor receiving* the contents of the sump hopper of hinged track sectionsfor the mine car above the sump hopper. Y.

In testimony whereof, I aiiX my signature, in presence of tvvoWitnesses. Y

WILLIAM COAN.

Witnesses: Y

CHARLES UNGER, ROBERT L. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patenti.

' Washington, D. C.

